Carol Coates | Dissonance

This exhibition, the gallery's first solo show for Coates, includes work from her ongoing dissonance series through which she vividly depicts discordant and often absurd situations, using humor and empathy to convey how these situations can feel. The works begin with photography,

Press Release

Tansey Contemporary is pleased to present “Dissonance", a solo exhibition from mixed media artist Carol Coates, on view from May 13 through June 5, 2016 at 652 Canyon Road, Santa Fe NM.

This exhibition, the gallery's first solo show for Coates, includes work from her ongoing dissonance series through which she vividly depicts discordant and often absurd situations, using humor and empathy to convey how these situations can feel. The works begin with photography, her own and found photos, and are executed with print and paint on wood.

“I hope to imply that while the situations may be real, the mindset of the characters that there is no escape and that their situations are impossible to resolve, is often a matter of choice.”

Drawing inspiration from personally felt or observed moments of frustration the artist sees the abstract and surreal imagery in her dissonance work as a call to change, a time to assume a new point of view, creating attitudes based on hope, and for taking determined action. She states: “How many of us have stayed in bad situations for too long? We need to acknowledge reality, and then ask the questions, "Is this OK?" and, if not, "What can I do to change it? I hope that these images speak to you and create insight about where you've been and where you are in your life. I hope that they'll inspire you to do what you can to improve the quality of your life and to forgive your fallibility. I hope that they'll be reminders of how your mindset can make all the difference."

The power and effect of our moment-to-moment choices is a prevalent theme for Coates, which she explores uniquely in each of her three lifelong series. She is a pioneer in creating hybrid mixed media work incorporating painting, photography and new media, using a combination of materials based on a lifetime of research and experimentation. Her work has appeared in galleries and museums both nationally and internationally.

Join us for the opening reception Friday May 13 from 5-7pm. The artist will be present.